John Muir returns to Dunbar

15-Apr-2014

We're bringing the John Muir panels of the Tapestry "home" to Dunbar for the John Muir Festival!

The legacy of the world famous naturalist John Muir (1838-1914) is such that he is the subject of no fewer than FOUR panels on the Scottish Diaspora Tapestry. We are pretty sure that this is a unique achievement, so we felt that he was worthy of an exhibition all of his own - and where better to display those panels than the John Muir Birthplace Museum in Dunbar!

The panels show the major phases in Muir's life: the panel showing his boyhood in East Lothian was stitched in Dunbar itself; that showing his time in Wisconsin was stitched in Marquette County where he stayed on moving to the US; and the panels of his time in the Sierra Nevada and California were stitched in Palm Springs and Santa Rosa. They have all returned to Scotland in time for the John Muir Festival, a major Homecoming 2014 event, and one which we were keen to be a part of.

So why not head to Dunbar for a sneak preview of the Tapestry! The panels are on display in the museum from 11th April-14th May, after which they move to The Prestoungrange Gothenburg in Prestonpans for 16th-27th May.

BUT why go to Prestonpans to find out about John Muir? Well, across the road from The Gothenburg is one of Prestonpans' famous murals - and sure enough it features the man himself! Here sits John Muir with his trusty mount, taking a break from his wanderings to reminisce about his native county. With just a little artistic licence, artist Ronnie Elliott even showed Muir raising a pint of Fowler's Ale in front of The Goth itself, with the Canadian totem pole in full view too. To celebrate, the micro-brewery at the Goth is presenting a limited edition bottle of their porter, named the John Muir Tr'Ale of course!